Perhaps because of Makoto's assurance, Ichika quickly regained her usual liveliness.
At least on the surface.
"As a thank-you for keeping my secret, let's find a time where I treat you both to a meal," Ichika said brightly.
Yukino gave her a suspicious glance. "Still trying to probe?"
"Nope, I really do want to thank you two," Ichika replied with a smile.
Yukino, seemingly unable to endure the lies, raised her hand to her forehead, preparing to wield her unique Yukino sharp tongue — but Makoto spoke first: "Now it's your turn, Yukinoshita."
"Hmm?"
Yukino let out a questioning hum.
Makoto met her gaze openly.
"Didn't you have something you wanted to talk to me about? Since Ichika-san's matter is finished, it's your turn now."
Oh? Something's up?
Ichika's eyes sparkled, and she perked up her ears like a famous meme.
Yukino stared at Makoto for two seconds, and a thought surfaced: He interrupted my attack because he's trying to pursue Ichika?
No.
If the time loop really existed, he might have already succeeded.
Yukino said in a calm tone, "Are you sure you want me to bring that up here?"
Is there some juicy news?
Ichika's spirits lifted.
Having had her inner thoughts repeatedly exposed by Yukino, she was actually a little unwilling to accept it, though she didn't show it.
Now it looked like she might have the chance to hear the other party's secret — maybe she could even regain some of the pride she had lost.
However, Makoto's answer left her confused: "I can answer you this way, Yukinoshita. That matter is real."
He was, of course, referring to the time loop.
Yukino's expression didn't change. "How do you prove it?"
She was referring to the fact that the dates were operating normally.
Makoto pointed at his temple with his chopsticks. "You should think more about it."
Yukino: "?"
Beside them, Ichika's initial excitement gradually turned into a dazed look.
Were they communicating in code?
At that moment, Yukino suddenly smiled, but the smile wasn't warm at all. "So, you won't explain any further?"
"Because I've already said everything I can clearly," Makoto replied.
"That's true, but I still have a lot of questions."
"Then you need to think even more."
"..."
Ichika, listening to their cryptic conversation, inexplicably felt like these two had real chemistry.
Yukino didn't continue the topic.
Compared to the hard-to-believe idea of a time loop, she preferred to believe that everything yesterday had been staged.
That Makoto had hired people to act it all out.
But if it was a script, how could the car accident be explained?
It wasn't like he would really find someone to drunken drive to their death just to trick her, right?
After all, she had seen the news herself this morning.
The police report matched what Makoto had said: the person involved was addicted to gambling, deeply in debt, and even the crashed car was stolen.
But if it wasn't a script, and time had truly moved on to a new day, then how could it be explained?
Could he control time?
No, that wasn't it. Yesterday, during their conversations, he hadn't shown the slightest sign of lying.
Yukino prided herself on her ability to read people — she didn't believe Makoto could act so perfectly that she wouldn't spot a single flaw.
Therefore, the final answer could only be: the time loop really existed.
Yukino's heartbeat suddenly quickened.
As for the possibility of him trying to win her over, she actually didn't care anymore.
Based on their interactions so far, she found Makoto very interesting — but to say she liked him? Absolutely impossible!
Makoto could guess what Yukino was thinking, but he didn't explain further. Instead, he changed the topic to ease the atmosphere: "Ichika-san, how's your acting career going?"
He deliberately lowered his voice.
Ichika initially didn't want to talk about it, but since he already knew, she said helplessly, "It's going okay. I'm still working hard toward it."
Makoto said casually, "That's good. If one day you become a big star, and you'd be willing to help me complete a short film, that would be my honor."
"Short film?"
That word caught the attention of both girls.
Makoto said offhandedly, "Yeah, out of personal interest, I've spent a long time studying photography, and I also learned scriptwriting."
He had also studied post-production, directing, even crew management.
"Eh? That's amazing!" Ichika, seeing he didn't look like he was lying, couldn't help being a little surprised.
Yukino was studying Makoto suspiciously.
Makoto didn't mind. He pulled a small notebook from his pocket. "Speaking of which, I have a story I think is pretty good. Want to take a look?"
"Can I?" Ichika asked, very interested.
"Of course. It's just a draft."
"Thank you."
Ichika took it with a curious heart.
But once she started reading, she became completely absorbed.
Yukino hadn't cared much at first, but as Ichika's expression grew increasingly focused — her breathing even turning rapid with excitement — Yukino's curiosity was thoroughly piqued once again.
Meanwhile, the "mastermind" Makoto was leisurely eating his meal.
The story was short, and since it was just a draft, Ichika finished reading it quickly.
Now she was gripping the notebook tightly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You really wrote this story?"
"There shouldn't be another story like it in the world, right?" Makoto replied.
Ichika's eyes were shining, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Yukino immediately understood that look.
It was called desire.
But Ichika ultimately just put down the notebook and continued eating.
Yukino finally couldn't resist. "May I read it?"
"Of course," Makoto nodded.
Yukino thanked him, finished her meal first, wiped her lips with a napkin, and then picked up the notebook to read.
A story about a dying grandmother swapping bodies with her granddaughter before passing away?
Yukino perked up slightly.
The grandmother, using the granddaughter's healthy body, tried to make up for her regrets, then hurried back to the granddaughter's ailing body, intending to return it to her.
The plot abruptly cut off there.
Yukino's mood didn't change.
A touching story about family bonds?
She had seen plenty of those.
She skimmed to the end — thirty years later, the now grown-up granddaughter singing an ancient nursery rhyme at her parents' memorial.
The nursery rhyme had been the deceased grandmother's favorite.
The grandmother had never returned the body!
Because of the temptation of youth and health, she had caused her granddaughter's death.
In an instant, Yukino froze.
She instinctively looked at Makoto, only to find him looking back at her.
Clearly, he had long expected her reaction.
Yukino took a deep breath, closed the notebook, and handed it back.
She said softly, "That's a rather good ending. Without it, it would have been a mediocre story."
Her gaze toward Makoto changed — it became complicated.
Now she understood Ichika's earlier reaction.
A small-time actress had discovered a treasure of a story — no wonder she had felt such yearning.
This guy had done it on purpose, pulling both their curiosities closer to him.
Yukino thought confidently.
I did do it on purpose.
Makoto thought to himself.
A single story had captivated two girls he intended to win over.
That's called a double win.
Meaning, I won twice.
After the meal, the three of them put away their trays.
Ichika seized the chance to ask, "Are you two free today? Since I have nothing to do tonight, why don't I treat you to dinner?"
Yukino declined, "Sorry, I need to go to the bookstore to buy some books."
Makoto said, sounding sentimental, "You still love reading so much."
Yukino raised an eyebrow slightly.
Was he reminding her again that the time loop was real?
She replied unhurriedly, "Because reading gives me satisfaction and happiness — something you should have already known, right?"
Yukino was testing him.
Makoto replied lightly, "Probably."
What kind of answer was that?
Yukino's modest chest rose and fell slowly.
"Just like the story you wrote — you must have spent a long time learning how to write scripts, and you also studied photography.
If it took a long time, that means you must have felt happiness and satisfaction during the process, right?"
"I never once felt happy learning scriptwriting," Makoto said.
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What a cruel grandma lmao.
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Read 20 Advanced Chapters on p@ tr eon (.) com/HalflingFics
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